The Money That Never Was

by David Luddington

Charles Tremayne is a spy out of his time. After a long career spent rescuing prisoners from the KGB or helping defectors across the Berlin Wall the world has changed. The Wall has gone and no longer is there a need for a Russian speaking, ice-cold killer. The bad guys now all speak Arabic and state secrets are transmitted via satellite using blowfish algorithms impenetrable to anybody over the age of twelve. Counting down the days to his retirement by babysitting drunken visiting politicos he is seconded by MI6 for one last case. £250,000,000 of government money destined as a payoff for the dictator of a strategic African nation goes missing on its way to a remote Cornish airfield.Tremayne is dispatched to retrieve the money and nothing is going to stand in his way. Armed with an IQ of 165 and a bewildering array of weaponry and gadgets he is not about to be outmanoeuvred by the inhabitants of a small Cornish fishing village. Or is he? The Money That Never Was is a hilarious new novel by the author of the best selling "Bank of Goodliness".Combining the innocent humour of the old Ealing Comedies with themes of alienation and belonging David Luddington manages to weave an engaging tale of one man's personal struggle with a world gone mad. It just happens that the man who is struggling is a trained MI6 agent, ruthless and efficient and the world with which is struggling consists of fish & chips, cider and fudge. Not to mention the bungling Barry Penwrith desperate to hang on to his windfall.

Genres: Audiobook, Humor

250 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2011

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic little tale. It does have a rather uneven start and to be honest, I did consider abandoning it. However, it sorts itself out rather nicely once the characters have been fleshed out and makes for a very entertaining g and lighthearted read.

Nice work Mr Luddington!

[David Luddington · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author of this book I feel it beholden upon me to award it five stars and to say how much I enjoyed it!
I love the old Ealing Comedies of the fifties and the sixties and miss the warm gentle humour of that period, so I set out to recreate that in my writing.
I only hope that I have the skills necessary to do justice to those wonderful writers who made me laugh for all those years.
David

[John Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle funny tale.

This story reminded me of a modern version of the old "Ealing Comedy" films. It moved along at a fast pace and there was even one or two "laugh out loud" moments. If you like your comedy gentle and non threatening, then this is the book for you.

[Phil Altimas · Rating 1 out of 5]

not my cup of tea

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out well, oddball characters, funny plot, but soon the main character was not believable at all. He's supposed to be a cold-blooded killer from the Cold war era, having a bit of an existential crisis - his line of work is basically no longer relevant, times have changed. Then we're supposed to believe over 4 days in Cornwall he has all kinds of changes of heart, but still has his killer instincts? And he makes some of the dumbest mistakes ever... getting in the back (rather than front) of a police car, knocked out a shotgun that he was quick enough to misdirect so he didn't get shot, and so on.

[PIETER · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just discovered David Luddington and I find his writing very funny. But the story is held together by more than humour. This book introduces an isolated and very strange small village on the coast of Cornwall in more or less recent times. The villagers, who have chanced upon a very large amount of government money, make life confounding for the MI6 agent who is delegated to locate and retrieve it. The villagers have decided to keep and hide the cash which draws the comparison to 'Whisky Galore'. And the agent is the face of James Bond. I'm going to read more of Luddington's books and I heartily recommend his work.

[Hennie la Grange · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my fourth read from this author. And I am hooked. I am reminded of the early John Irving's quirky characters and outrageous situations, though without the self-indulgence of the "American dream." It is off the wall, satirical, critical, tongue in cheek, sometimes downright annoying - but always bang on point - with its logic in justifying greed and the redundancy of Cold War spies. The present plot was close to that of the The Bank of Goodliness, however the reinvented main character and the violence he brings to the story, had it come into its own.

[Steve W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after reading The Bank of Goodliness by the same author, which I really enjoyed. This is in a similar vein in some ways (people out of place in a cornish village, subterfuge) but this one didn't seem to fit together quite as well and it didn't hold my attention as well either. Nevertheless, I found it entertaining and funny, conjuring up some hilarious images. Im glad I found this author and will shortly be working through more of his books.

[Deirdre E Siegel · Rating 5 out of 5]

All good until last few chapters the main character turn into a sad sack.
Other than that again the cast of characters, location, scenery and weather makes
for a fun read / listen.
Thanks for your collected words David Luddington and your eloquence Rory Barnett,
much appreciated gentlemen. :-)

[Sally Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner

This is my second book written by its Author. I was not disappointed. The basic plot is familiar but the characters aren't. They are crafty. Their solutions are unique.

[C I KESZEI · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Luddington strikes again

Another excellent book, albeit with a totally different type of lead character. A good old fashioned bit of greed thrown in with a village lost in time makes for a worthwhile read.

[Jacky Mercury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good British comedy

A spy's final mission, missing millions and some very determined and resourceful villagers in Cornwall make for a comedy that's begging to be a film. I keep picturing Daniel Craig as the spy. Another fab book from David Luddington.

[Mr Peter Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cornwall on speed

Some brilliantly eccentric characters take the reader through a masterful situation comedy full of fun and laughs. The story is also very plausible in the Times we live in

[ukkindlecustomer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mission Impossible

Darker story and less likeable characters for this Cornish (mis)adventure, the humour is rougher and more mocking than usual. That said however, still an enjoyable read with laugh out loud moments.

[George Tuffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

LUDDINGTON SCORES AGAIN!

Another good book from David Luddington.

It's amazing how he's taken an old idea for a story and brought into the 21st century.

Well done, David. I can't wait to start your next book in my library.

[Liz Gledhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Really enjoyed reading this book. Humorous but adventurous as well
. Would make a great TV show. Better than some of the horrifying police dramas being shown now

[Chris Petz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, humorous read.

Light read but nicely constructed. Ideal bedtime or holiday reading.
David Luddington has good characterisation in all of his stories

[Mimi B · Rating 5 out of 5]

great story

Started slowly but soon became a rollicking tale . Very funny with a twist or two at the end . I couldn't put it down .

[April Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it.
Can't seem to go wrong with this author.